Nanocomposites that are produced by the mixing of organic or inorganic nano-particles with polymers continue to attract widespread interest in all areas of materials science. The general design approach is exceedingly attractive, since it allows for the fabrication of materials with new or improved properties by simply mixing the two constituents and exploiting synergistic effects between them. One important technological thrust is the development of structural materials with improved mechanical and/or thermal characteristics. Equally intriguing is the possibility of creating advanced functional materials with unique optic and/or electronic properties, catalytic activity, selective permeation and a plethora of other interesting features. However, the broad technological exploitation of polymer nanocomposites is stifled by the lack of effective methods for controlling the particle dispersion. As a consequence of their large specific surface area and high surface energy, nanoparticles usually have a strong tendency for aggregation. The main approach to suppress this effect is surface functionalization, which mediates particle-particle and particle-polymer interactions and can significantly influence the spatial distribution of the nanofiller. Unfortunately, the advantages of surface groups are often negated by the fact that they tend to ‘insulate’ the nanoparticles from each other by reducing or fully suppressing desirable interactions which can greatly reduce any benefits associated with their presence.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide methods and resulting materials wherein the interaction between nanoparticles and/or nanoparticles and polymers are nurtured, thereby providing benefits such as improved material properties, such as shear modulus.